The insurgency in Kashmir, conceived in eighties and bursting and hurting the entire nation, was mostly sponsored from the across; to inflict `thousand cuts on the Indian state to bleed it to death.’ To achieve the nefarious goal, Pakistan recruited, imported, trained and pushed Kashmiri youth into armed struggle to carry out killings with the aim to make them religious-fanatic terrorists completely blinded into Islamic fundamentalism.

These terrorists/ militants/ anti-national elements are looked upon as `Holy’ by the separatist/Islamic fundamentalists. They consider themselves `Mujahids’ – the holy warriors. Whereas, the people of Kashmir as well as rest of India consider them as enemies of the nation, the traitors, the worst sinners.

On the other hand, Indian Army deployed in Kashmir to curb their anti-people/ anti-national activities, is looked upon by the people of Kashmir as well as rest of the country, as saviours of national integrity – the holiest act. Whereas, the separatists see the army as perpetrators and the worst sinners. The natural calamity of September 2014 due to heavy flood in Jammu and Kashmir that substantially destroyed/ paralysed the life in the state, have shown the pious and humane role of the Indian armed forces and other para-military forces which saved the lives of lakhs of people of the state from jaws of death.

Since the author has served in the Kashmir valley for about five years, he has gone through the conflicts of emotions, where his empathy was with average Kashmiri sufferings but his duties were with the Army. The eyewitness incidents narrated in the book highlight the sufferings and loss of both sides – the civilian population as well as soldiers and their families.

The book is an account of the senseless devastations, encounters, killings, firing, cries, shrieks and detention of youth, many found to be innocent later. It is remembrance of the interrogations, the chest beating mothers, hair plucking fathers and missed opportunities of education and growth, pitiable conditions of Kashmiri’s Hindus in the refugee camps, etc. It is a humble effort to bring you closest to `the truth’.

This book is a wish that all above ends soon so that none of eyes are wet, while remembering Kashmir.
Author: Major Saras TripathiISBN: 9788170494959Pages: 375Features: HB, Manas Pub